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If you're just filling out your ballot or heading off to the polls, here are my recommended choices for candidates and ballot measures on San Diego County ballots in the Nov. 8, 2016, general election – punctuated by my occasional thoughts on a particular candidate or measure.

Dave has done some great work with parks, open space and the environment generally in the four years he's been in office. He's also the only Democrat at the county supervisor level. Please vote for Dave Roberts for county supervisor and keep him in office for another four years.

San Diego City Attorney – Mara Elliott

Over 18 months before the June 2016 primary I got to know all of the Democratic city attorney candidates, and Mara continues to be one of the most consistently impressive people I've met seeking public office. She's already essentially working the job as chief deputy city attorney, and she is endlessly impressive, capable and pragmatic – not to mention she's hired some outstanding lawyers onto her staff. Give her the promotion she has earned, the city will be the better for it.

San Diego City Council, District One (D-1) – Barbara BrySan Diego City Council, District Nine (D-9) – Georgette Gómez

Georgette comes from an environmental non-profit background with years of experience at the Environmental Health Coalition, and she'll be an exceedingly positive force for District Nine's constituents at City Hall. Chalk me up, I'm a fan of Georgette's. She'll effectively represent this diverse community, and make sensible decisions that don't sell out the city, cave to moneyed interests, or leave the environmental impacts of a project hanging.

Carlsbad City Council – Cori Schumacher and Bill Fowler

Cori is a true environmental hero. She helped organize resistance to the idea of a mall being built above Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad and became a key player in the defeat of Measure A earlier this year, and her record fighting for those without a voice and for greater equality for women cannot be eclipsed. A former professional surfer, Cori is taking the advice of her friend Barney Frank and is turning her activism into public service. The organization I serve as president of, San Diego County Democrats for Environmental Action, even awarded Cori our annual Making a Difference Award at our yearly anniversary beneft in September. Give Cori your vote, and vote for Bill Fowler too. Good things are coming to Carlsbad.

Chula Vista City Council, District Three – Steve Padilla

Encinitas Mayor – Catherine Blakespear

Encinitas City Council – Tony Kranz and Tasha Boerner Horvath

Helix Water Board, District Three – Mark Gracyk

Imperial Beach City Council – Mark West

Mark will be an immense asset for good government in Imperial Beach, and he's a genuine environmentalist whom I got to know from my work with the San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Read more about Mark at my blogpost here.

La Mesa City Council – Colin Parent

Lemon Grove Mayor – George Gastil

Lemon Grove City Council – David Arambula

We're on the verge of a highly progressive, effective city council in Lemon Grove if councilmember George Gastil wins the mayor's race. David Arambula, a retired U.S. marine who now works as an attorney, will also make an outstanding addition to the Lemon Grove City Council. Please vote for George and David so Lemon Grove can pave the way and set a template for quality, progressive government in the eastern suburbs of San Diego.

I'm generally agnostic on marijuana legalization for recreational use. On one hand I think it's great that the state and communities can tax it for, well, a "bumper crop" of revenue, as has been the case in Colorado. My concerns with it are how will it be regulated so that tax money is actually collected from it, and so people don't just continue to buy from their local unregulated dealer – thereby continuing a cycle of smuggling from Mexico and environmental damage from illegal marijuana crops being grown in Humboldt County and the Redwood belt. I also don't want to see people just walking around and toking. Yes, I'm voting YES on 64, but I'd like to be more excited about it. That having been said, check out my 91X interview with Prop. 64 proponent Rich Riel.